Modern communications and data networks are comprised of nodes that transport data through the network. The nodes may include routers, switches, bridges, or combinations thereof that transport the individual data packets or frames through the network. Some networks may offer data services that forward data frames or packets from one node to another node across the network without using pre-configured routes on intermediate nodes. Other networks may forward the data frames or packets from one node to another node across the network along pre-configured or pre-established paths. The packets forwarded in the network may be unicast packets that are transmitted to a plurality of nodes via a plurality of corresponding point-to-point (P2P) links. Alternatively, the packets forwarded in the network may be multicast packets that are transmitted to a plurality of nodes via a point-to-multipoint (P2MP) link or a tree.